Open-plan office systems, pioneered by Herman Miller, Inc. more than 20 years ago, provide a series of rigid panels which, in turn, are connected together at facing edges to divide work spaces into work or task areas. The panels are quickly and easily coupled together at facing edges for straight line, angled coupling or multiple wall coupling. A new wall system for open plan and other office environments is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,255 to Kelley et al., granted Aug. 11, 1987.
The wall system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,255 comprises a rigid framework formed of rigid rectangular frames rigidly joined together at the edges thereof and modular interchangeable tiles which are removably mounted to the face of the frames on both sides thereof. All panels are disclosed as having a width substantially equal to the width of the frames. Vertical rows of slots for supporting furniture hanging brackets are provided on the frames outside the location of the tiles for hanging functional furniture from the frames.
In office installations, hallways result from the layout of the wall system. The vertical repeating pattern of the tiles is sometimes less desirable in the hallways than in the offices for functional and aesthetic reasons. The vertical slotting is not needed in the hallways. The vertical repeating pattern may be less desirable to some from a visual perspective in the hall than in the office. More uniformity may be preferable in the hallways.